Reso 23-09 PC Reso 0034 Reso Recommending CEQA Approval - 505 E. Bayshore

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ATTY/RESO.0034/PC RESO RECOMMENDING CEQA APPROVAL – 505 E. BAYSHORE – EXHIBIT A REV: 05-12-23 JB Page 24 of 30 No Project – No Development Alternative The No Project – No Development Alternative would retain the existing industrial development on the site. If the project site were to remain as is, there would be no new impacts. Implementation of the No Project – No Development alternative would avoid the less than significant impacts with mitigation identified in this EIR. The No Project No-Development alternative would not, however, allow for new waterfront residential development to be constructed on the project site. A project without residential development would not address RHNA needs or address the City Council’s strategic priority for housing. This alternative does not meet any of the objectives of the proposed project. No Project – Existing Plans and Policies Alternative The No Project – Existing Plans and Policies Alternative would assume the currently proposed project is not approved, and a different project is proposed based on what the General Plan currently allows. An alternative project that is consistent with the General Plan would allow for commercial development on the property. The alternative project could potentially be similar in scale to or larger than the proposed development, as allowed under the General Plan. Based on allowed development capacities on the site, an alternative project could construct up to 110,640 square feet of commercial uses, which would result in a greater level of development than the proposed project. The environmental effects of redevelopment of the site with a different development project consistent with the General Plan would likely result in similar construction and operational effects as the proposed project. To the extent more intense development were to be proposed beyond what is currently pending with the subject project application, construction and operational effects could be increased. Additionally, this alternative would not provide affordable housing to the City. Implementation of the existing plans and policies “No Project” alternative would not avoid the less than significant impacts with mitigation identified in this EIR. Design Alternative – Removal of Cantilevered Portions of Public Trail The project proposes to construct a public trail along the northern boundary of the site, providing access between E. Bayshore Road and a planned public trail segment to be located on the adjacent property to the east. As described in Section 3.4 Biological Resources, portions of the trail would be cantilevered to overhang 0.04 acre (or roughly 1,742 square feet) of muted tidal marsh habitat. Although these portions of the trail would not result in direct impacts to the habitat from grading or construction activities, shading from the cantilevered structures would result in long-term degradation of this habitat, which provides potential foraging habitat for salt marsh harvest mice and salt marsh wandering shrews. This habitat is of low quality due to its small size and isolation from higher quality marsh habitats to the north, but it is possible that individual salt marsh harvest mice and salt marsh wandering shrews occur here. Due to the rarity of the salt marsh harvest mouse and salt marsh wandering shrew, project impacts to their habitat would be considered significant, even though the existing habitat is of low quality.